Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York, Inc. v. Village of Stratton

A Jehovah's Witness organization (plaintiffs) whose religious practice required unsolicited door-to-door preaching challenged a village ordinance (defendant) requiring anyone canvassing private homes for any cause to first register and obtain a mayoral permit; the organization never applied for a permit and instead challenged the ordinance as facially unconstitutional. The district court and court of appeals upheld the ordinance, and the Supreme Court granted certiorari.